Charles f



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

C. P. HADLEY.

TRICYGLE.

Pate n ted Mar. 17, 1885.

N. PEI'ERS. PlmmLRho m har. Walhingiun. I15.

2 Y E L D A H P C TRIOYCLE.

No. 313,863. Patented Mar. 1'7, 1885.

N. PETE. Mliihflgupher. wlshingmlh D. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. HADLEY, OF GHIGOPEE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE OVERMAN WHEEL COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

TRICYCLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 313,863, dated March 17, 1885.

Application filed April 14, 1884. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES F. HADLEY, residing at Ghicopee, in the county of Hampden and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tricycles; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in two-speed gears for enabling a portion of the energy expended in driving a tricycle to be resolved either into power or into speed at the pleasure of the driver, the object being to produce mechanism for the purpose described of simple, compact, and durable construction, involving no essential changes in the vehicle to which it is applied, and adapted to be operated by the driver without leaving his seat and while the vehicle is in motion.

With these ends in view my invention consists in certain details of construction and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a view in outside elevation of two-speed-gear mechanism embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view thereof in inside elevation, with the bearings of the crank-shaft removed. Fig. 3 is aview of the mechanism in vertical transverse section. Fig. tembraces detached views in front and side elevation of the disk of the mechanism. Fig. 5 embraces similar views of the movable segment thereof. Fig. 6 embraces similar views of the fixed segment. Fig. 7 embraces similar views of the plate. Fig. Sis a detail. Fig. 9 is a detached view in inside elevation of the internal gear. Fig. 10 embraces similar views in front and side elevation of the driven gear. Fig. 11 is a detached view in elevation of one of the pinions. Fig. 12 is a View in elevation of the op;

crating-lever, and Fig. 13 is a view in end elevation of the dog thereof.

A represents the frame of a tricycle, and B hangers secured thereto and supporting'the centers 0 of the bearings D, in which the crank-shaft E is mounted. An internal gear,

F, rigidly secured to the outer end of the said shaft by means of a nut, G, which holds it firmly against a shoulder, H, formed thereupon, incloses and meshes with one or more pinions, I, mounted upon studs J, projecting from the sprocket-wheel K, and meshing with a driven gear, L, running loosely upon the shaft. The said sprocket-wheel K is mounted and runs loosely upon the hub M of the driven gear, the end of the said hub being threaded for the attachment of the disk N, which is provided with a shoulder, 0, forming a bearing for the movable segment 1, which is held in place by a washer, Q, inter posed between it and the bearings D of the crank-shaft. A pawl, R, mounted upon a stud, S, projecting from the sprocket-wheel, and actuated by a spring, T, attached to it, and engaging with a pin, U, located in the said sprocket-wheel, is provided with a finger, V, adapted to engage with a slot, l/V, formed in the periphery of the disk, and thus cause the same and the driven gear to which it is attached to be rotated by and with the sprocket-wheel. In this adjustment of the mechanism, in which the driven gear and pinions are idle, that proportion of energy expended by the driver over and above what is required to propel the vehicle is resolved into speed.

To resolve the surplus energy into power, the driven gear and pinions are brought into action by disconnecting the sprocket-wheel and the disk and sustaining the latter, and consequently the driven gear, in a fixed post tion with respect to the sprocket-wheel and the internal gear. This is done by means of the operating-lever X, and of the segmentsP and Y,associated with the disk. The said 1e ver,which extends upward within easy reach of the driver from his seat, is mounted in bearing Z, formed integral with the bearing D of the crank shaft, and provided with a dog, A, and with a handle, B, by which it is turned in its bearings to engage the said dog with the periphery of the movable segment 1?, or that of the fixed segment Y,which latter is riveted to the disk, according to the position of the disk at the time of contact.

tween a pin, D, located in the outer end of the pawl aforesaid and the said incline. As the pin travels up the incline, the pawl is raised and the finger V thereof disengagedfrom the slot WV of the disk, thus disconnecting the same and the sprocket-wheel. Immediately after this occurs, the completion of the engagement of the dog with the segments. and hence with the disk, is effected by forcing it into an opening formed between the contiguous -.upper ends of the segments by the forward movement of the fixed segment with the disk during the time elapsing between the arrest of the movable segment and the disconnection of the sprocket-wheel and disk, and shown at E at Fig. 2 of the drawings. Nearly simultaneously, also, with the disconnection of the sprocket-wheel and disk and the introduction of the dog into the opening, as described, the lower ends of the segments engage and prevent their upper ends from further separation.- The disk and consequently the driven gear being now sustained "in a fixed position by the operating-lever, the driven gear and pinions are brought into action and the surplus energy is resolved into power. In this adjustment of parts, the pawl, which is carried around the periphery of the disk by the sprocket-wheel, is prevented from engagingwith the sloti'n the disk by the incline, which stands directlyin front of the said slot,

as shown in Fig. '2 of the drawings.

To reestablish the connection between the sprocket-wheel and disk, or, in other words, to gear the mechanism for speed, the operating-lever is turned in its bearings to disengage the dog from the segments. hen this has been done, a spring, F, located in a socket, G, formed in the disk, and engaging with a pin, H, secured to the inner face of the movable segment will throw the same forward I and expose the slot in the disk, and permit the pawl to be'engaged therewith. The said movable segment is thrown forward until its upper end is engaged with the contiguous upper end of the fixed segment. This causes a separation of the lower ends of the-segments, and to prevent the dog of operating lever from entering the opening thus formed when it is engaged with the peripheries of the segments for the purpose of gearing the mechanism for power, as above described, a plate, 1, is rivetedto the lower end of the movable segment, and adapted to lap over the fixed segment. When the upper ends of the seg* ments are in contact, in which position the movable segment is first engaged with the dog of the operating-lever, the incline of the said segment stands a little above the line of the segments, and in order to facilitate the engagement of the dog with the incline, and to prevent it from being displaced after engagement by vibrations or-other disturbances in the vehicle, the fixed segment is cut away, as shown at J in Figs. 2 and 6 of the drawings.

It is evident that the proportion of energy resolved from power to speed and from speed to power may be changed by appropriate variation in the gears. I would therefore have it understood that I do not limit myselfto the exact construction shown and described, but hold myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is- V 1. Twospeed-gear mechanism for tricycles, consisting in the combination, with a sprocket-wheel and a driven gear, each being loosely mounted upon the crank-shaft of the vehicle, of an internal gear secured to the said shaft, pinions secured to the sprocket-wheel and meshing with the driven and internal gears, and means for connecting and disconnecting the sprocket-wheel and the driven gear and for sustaining the latter in a fixed position, substantially as described.

2. Two-speed-gear mechanism for tricycles, consisting in the combination, with a sprocket-wheel and a driven gear, each being loosely mounted upon the crank-shaft of the vehicle, of an internal gear secured to the said shaft, pinions secured to the sprocket-wheel and meshing with the driven and internal gears,

means for connecting and for disconnecting the sprocket-wheel and the driven gear, and an operating-lever for actuating the said disconnecting mechanism and for sustaining the driven gear in a fixed posit-ion, substantially as set forth.

3. Two-speedgear mechanism for tricycles, consisting in the combination, with a sprocket-wheel and a driven gear, each being loosely mounted upon the crank-shaft of the vehicle, of an internal gear secured to the said shaft, pinions secured to the sprocket-wheel and meshing with the driven and internal gears, a disk located upon the hub of the driven gear, a pawl mounted upon the sprocket and arranged to engage with the disk, means for disengaging the pawl from the disk, andv an operating-lever for operating the said disengaging mechanism and for sustaining the driven gear in a fixed position, substantially as set forth.

4.. Two-speed-gear mechanism for tricycles,

' consisting in the combi'nation,with the sprocket-wheel and a driven gear, each being loosely mounted upon the crankshaft of the vehicle, of an internal gear secured to the said shaft, pinions secured to the sprocket-wheel and meshing with the driven and internal gears,

a disk located upon the hub of the driven gear, I I11 testimony whereof I have signed this a pawl mounted upon the sprocket and arspeoification in the presence of two subscribi'anged to engage with the disk, the described ing witnesses.

movable and fixed segments associated with CHARLES F. HADLEY. the disk, and an operating-lever for operat- \Vitnesses:

ing and engaging with the said segments, sub- ALBERT H. OVERMAN,

stantiaily as set forth. LUTHER WHITE. 

